Method of determining the nature of subsoil



NOV. 27, 192,8.V 1,692,849

' M. MASON METHOD 0F DETERMIING THE NATURE OF SUBSOIL Filed May 5, 1926 @L o l@ 1f l2 Z7` if f /y- ,(f/ Z ll FQ L 5 /Z/ I d b I ef c7 fb 2 VWX' is da c Q0' l @L L 52 X 9 C @E D; G; @A C); :;:v^ if@ 2043 12 a 27g@ if l mi f4 Af( J. MW Mw) (gw MTQWTLZL Patented Nov; 27', 192s.

` UNITE-D STA MAX MASON, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

METHOD or DETEBMINING THE NATURE or sUBsoIL.

Application filed May 3,

This invention relates to improvements in method of determining the nature of subsoil.

One obj ect ot the invention is to provide a method ot' discovering and locating ore deposits, mineral deposits, or any hidden body having electro-magnetic properties diifering from those of the surroundings.

Another object of thc invention is to provide a method of the character indicated in lthe preceding paragraph, wherein observa' tions are taken in a systematic manner by means of two sets of electrodes or terminals, one set communicating with a source of electrical energy and the other set communicating with an indicating means, the set otl electrodes communicating with the source of electrical energy supplying energy to the ground and spaced a predetermined distance apart, and the terminals of the detecting set being placed in electrical connection with the earth, one'of said last-named lterminals being placed a distance from one of the terminals of the rst set, and the other terminal of the detecting set being adjusted relative to the first terminals along a straight line to a position characterized by its potential or phase with respect to `the other terminal ot the detecting set, the relative position of thesey terminals indicating the electromagnetic characterl ofl the subsoil. ,n

A further objectfof the invention is to provide a method o the Vcharacter specified, wherein a lurality of successive observations are taken y means of two sets of terminals,

one set communicating with a source of electromagnetic energ and the other set communicating with an indicatin the terminals, including t e two terminals communicating with the source of energyand one of the terminals communicating with the indicating means being spaced apart a predetermined distance during each observation all four of the terminals being moved to a i different position at each succeeding observation while keeping the relative spacing between the terminals referred to constant, the relative position of the remaining terminal being adjusted during each observation until a point is foundhaving a predetermined electrcal character relative to the other terminal connected to the indicatingmeans.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a method ofthe 'character indicated, wherein a plurality of sets of observations are taken by means of a pair of terminals in circuit with a source of electrical energy,and a device, three of4 are taken successively 1926. Serial No. 106,188.

second 'pair of terminals in circuit with an indicating means, the first pair of terminals being positioned a predetermined distance apart during each set of observations and one of the terminals of the second pair being successively placed at predetermined dierent distances from one of the terminals of the first pair during each set of observations, and the remaining terminal of the second pair being disposed at such a position with refer- .ence to the other three terminals during the successive observations of each set that one terminal of the second pair will be at' a certain potential or phase with respect to the other terminal of said pair. 1

Still another object of theinvention is to provide a method of detecting ore deposits, mineral deposits or any hidden body having electro-magnetic properties dilerent from its surroundings by means of a pair of terminals in circuit with a source of electrical energy, and a second pair of terminals in circuit with an indicating means wherein observations are taken successively along a straight line, the terminals being all moved to different posi4 tions along said line during each succeeding observation and thel terminals of the first pairfand one of the terminals pf the second pair being disposed a predetermined distance apart during each succeeding observation and the remaining terminal of said second pairl being disposed at a point on said straight line with reference tothe other terminal of said second pair characterized by the potential or phase of one terminal of the second pair with reference to the other terminal of said pair.

A more specific object of the invention 1s to provide amethod in accordance with the preceding paragraph, wherein observations are taken on a s'et f parallel lines, or a pluralityy of sets of parallel lines, wherein one of said sets of parallel lines inte sect the other set.

Yet-another object of the invention lis to provide a method of detectingyore deposits, mineral deposits, or any hidden body having electromagnetic properties differing from its surroundings by meansot a pair of terminals in circuit-with a source of electrical energy and a second pair of terminals in circuit with an indicating means, .wherein observations n along a straight line, the terminals being all moved to diiferent positions along said line during each succeeding observation, and thev terminals of the first set and one of the terminals of the second set be-` vao 'ing disposed the same predetermined constant distance apart during each succeeding obserphone receiver.

,vation and the remaining terminal of said second set being disposed at such a point on said straight line with. reference to the other terminal of said second pair that it will be at a certain potential or phase With respect to the other terminal of said second pair.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will more fully and clearly appear from the description and claims hercinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this speci- 'ficationy Figure 1 is a vdiagrammatic view showing in side elevation a form of apparatus employedin connection with vmy improved method. Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating a manner in which observations are taken in accordance with my improved method. An'd Figure 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating another manner of taking observations in accordance with the improved method.

In'said drawings, A and B designate two electric terminals or electrodes in circuit with a source of electrical energy 10, thev elec-trodes A and B being connected by wires 11 and 12 respectively to terminals 13 and 14 mounted on a container housing the source of electromagnetic energy. Two additional terminals are designated by C and D, these terminals being illustrated as of substantially the same design as the terminals A and B. In this connection it is pointed out that although the .terminals are all shown as of the same design, terminals of other design and character may be employed. The terminals C-and D are in circuit with an indicating means 15 which is preferably in the form of a 'sensitivetele- The terminals C and D are connected with terminals c'n the receiver 15 by means of wires 16 and 17. The apparatus described, which is shown -diagrammatically, is one form which may be employed in carrying out my improved method and is of the type illustrated in Patent Number 817,736, granted April 10, 1906, to Draft and Williams. In otherl words, this apparatus is herein shown for illustrative purposes only, and any other apparatus serving a similar function may be employed, it being necessary merely to provi-de a pair of terminals which vform the primary circuit and are connected with a source of electromagnetic energy which may be such as to provide continuous, fluctuating, or impulsive difference of potential between lthe two terminals and a second pair of terminals which form the secondary circuit and are connected to an indicating apparatus which may take the form of any suitable device commonly employed for this purpose, including sensitive telephone receivers, galvaf nometers, etc.

The terminals A, B, C and D employed, shown inthe drawings, are of the type illustrated in the Draft and Williams patent herev densers which are merely placed adjacent tov the earths surface and do not have direct contact with the earth as is the case with the terminals illustrated in the patent referred to.-

In exploring a tract for ore by my improved method, the electrodes or terminals A and B are placed at a suitable separation as indicated at A1 and B1 shown by the small circles in Figure 2, and the electrode of terminal C is fixed at a predetermined position with reference to B1 as indicated at C1, the electrodes A, B and C being referably in the same straight line indicated y 5. The electrode or termiynal D is then moved along the line 5 untila point is located at which the indicating apparatus 15 shows a minimum current intenslty. In the case of .uniform conductlng soil, the

terminal D will be located at the point shownv by the small broken circle Such a relative position would usually indicate that no ore is' which theelectrodes C and D are loca-ted are at the same potential. present in the sub-soil, the position of the electrode D will vary` with respect to the point the direction depending upon the location of the ore. A vein or body of ore is indicated by 18 in Figure 2. Due to the influence of the ,body of ore, the electrode D will be located'at a position 'indicated by the ksmall circle D1 when the indication of minimum current intensity is shown bythe apparatus 15. It will be noted that the position D is closer to the electrode B than the point ,thus indicating that the ore is located to the right as shown in Figure 2. The 4distance between the electrodes C and D or the distance between the electrodes B and D may be interpreted to afford information about the electro-magnetic properties of the sub-soil, taking account also of the positions of the electrodes C, A and B with respect to each other.

After the observation just described has been noted, another observation is taken along the straight line 5, the electrode A being moved a deinite predetermined distance along said line lto the position indicated by trode C is fixed between the electrodes A and B at a distance fromfthe electrodeB'ycorresponding to the distance1 between these electrodes during the "first observation. electrode D is then moved .along the^u line 5 until an indication of minimum current in-l When there is ore The ALeague observation, and the terminal D being moved along the line until the minimum current intensity is registered by theindicatmg ap paratus 15. The positions of the electrodes f A, B, C and D at the third observation are p indicated by the circles A?, 133 CS-,and D".

-' The observations are thus repeated along the same stra-ight line until the length oit the tract has been Iexplored in one direction. Inv

taking these observations, the relative po'sif tions and distances of the electrodes A, and C may easily be kept constant by vmeans of spacing leads or cords between them, and the distance between the electrodes@ and D, or

, B and D may be. quickly measured in any 4pea-ted by suitable manner, preferably by ascale onthe lead wire connecting the electrodes C and D.

It will be evident that my improved method ot' exploring a track along a straight line possesses the decided advantage of requiring the minimum amount of clearing away ot obstacles, clearing of timber, or brush cutting.

After completing any one .of the observations described, the procedure may be reusing the same positions for the electrodes A and B, but several different predetermined positions of the electro e C.. Two such observations, without changin the position of the electrodes A and lB, are Indicated in Figure 3, the location of the electrodes A and B being indicated by the small -circles and the two positions of the electrode C being indicated respectively by the .circles C and CC. The position of the electrode D will be located at- D and DD respectively.

By this procedure a more detailed interpret-ation of the electromagnetic nature of thesubsoil in the yparticular zone will be obtained. When the trac-thas been explored along one straight line as hereinbetore described,`

a series of observations. are taken in a similar manner along a plurality of lines paral# lel to the first line and then along a plurality of parallel lines intersecting the iirst setv of parallel lines. The intersecting lines may be at any angle and are herein illustrated' at right angles to each other. In Figure 2, one set of lines along which observations are taken are indicatedby 1,12., 3, 4, 5, 6, 7and 8, and the intersecting set of parallel lines are indicated by a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h a-nd c'. For the purpose of clearness of illustration, the location of the electrodes during successive observations along alinehave been shown in Figure 2 only in connection with line 5. In y carrying out my invention, the iirs't explora.- tion will preferably be along the line l and progressively onvone lines are indicated by' A4, B4, C4, and A, B5, C and ,D on the parallellines g and h.

v'Ihe parallel lines l to 8, inclusive, and the arallel lines ato z', inclusive, are' preferably all spaced the same distance apart and the 'observations are' taken at the intersections 'of the two sets yof parallel lines, that is, the

electrodes A and B are placed at the points of intersections of theselines asl clearly indicated by `A1, B1, A2., B2, A3 land, B3 on line 5 of Figure 2. In the instanceshown in this figure, the electrodes A and Bere moved a distance equal to the spacing between two of these parallellines when progressing from one observation to the next. It will be seen that a tract'may thus be explored in a systematic and/rapid way. Although I have shown and described the observations as taken at approximately equal intervals along parallel lines spaced equally apart, goo/d results may be obtained when the observations are taken at unequal Iintervals on a straight line and the parallel lines along which observations are takenv are not equally spaced. In

4the embodimenty of the invention herein vthis exact procedure, it merely being essential that the electrodes A and B are placed a pre.- determined distance apart on one line and Observations taken l yin reverse directions 4onv adjacent parallel that the electrode C is spaced a definite pre determined distance from the electrode B, but not necessarily on thestraight line connecting the electrodes A and B, and the electrode D locatedfso that there will be a centain potential ory phase of the same with respect to the electrode C. -In other words, the

*straight line connectingthe electrodes C and D may be either parallel or at an angle to the 'straight line connecting the electrodes A and B. In all the various observations shown in Figure 2, the normal position for the terminal D, that is, the position this terminal would occupy if the soil werel uniformcondncting,

has been indicated by The position of D3 terminal D. indicates that the 'ore body is to the left in Figure, 2. The position of D4 in dicates that the ore body is located toward the bottom and the position of D5 indicates that the ore body is located toward the'top of Vsaid figure with reference to the points lD4 and D5 respectively. `The position D2 coincides with the normal position of the terwith reference to the normal position of the minal D onaccount of the terminal B2 being disposed directly above the body of ore.

The deviations in the normal distance between the electrode D and the electrode C, or between the electrode D and the electrode B indicates the presence of ore masses when the "deviations form a systematic trend through the observations, which, as hereinbefore described, are taken step by step.

It will be evident that by my improved method, the tract is effectively explored at points on the corners of squares which form a checker-board pattern. Further, the .entire apparatus may be readily transported and set up in constant geometry at every station, the same uniform sensitivity of result being obtained throughout the tract. Since the distance of I) relative to B and Gis used as an indication, no separate survey of points nor map is required, such as is needed in meth ods involving the plotting of equi-potential curves.

W'hile I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. The method of determining the nature of subsoil, which consists in applying electromagnetic energy at two points of a given tract, fixing the position of a third point lying between said two points colineai` with and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom, placing a fourth point also substantially colinear with the preceding three points and locating said fourth point at a distance from one of said other points so, that there is a predetermined electrical relationship be-4 tween said point and the fourth point, and noting the distances between the various tromagnetic energy between two points of a glven tract, fixing theposition of a third point lying between said 'two points and colinear therewith and at a-predetermined distance from said points, locating in alinement with..

said points a fourth point by so positioning the same with reference to the third point as to distance that there will be a predetermined electrical relationship between the two lastnamed points, said fourth point being eX- terior to the two points ati. which the elec'- tromagnet'ic energy is applied, thereby obtaining a readingl based on the distance between the four points as an indication of the electromagnetic character of the subsoil.

3. In a method of determining the nature of subsoil by means of a pair of electrodes in circuit with a source of electromagnetic energy and a second pair of electrodes in circuit with an indicating means, taking a y plurality of observations successively on a straight line at spaced predetermined distances apa-rt, disposing the electrodes of the iirst pair and one of the electrodes of 'the second pair a predetermined distance apart in a substantially stra-ight line during each successive observation and the remaining electrode of .said secondpair at such a point as to distance on said straight line'with reference to the other electrode of said secondpair so that said indicating means will register a predetermined electrical relationship between the electrodes of the second pair.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 27 th day of April, 1926.

MAX MASON. 

